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Veteran and military mental health: the Australian experience

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

David Forbes  and
Olivia Metcalf
David Forbes
Affiliation:
Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Australia, email [email protected]
Olivia Metcalf
Affiliation:
Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Australia
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Abstract

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Australia has deployed over 25 000 personnel to recent conflicts in the Middle East and has been involved in peacekeeping missions. Australian veterans report elevated rates of mental health problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders, affective disorders and substance use disorders. Veteran healthcare is delivered through publicly funded services, as well as through private services, at primary, secondary and tertiary levels. Some of the challenges involve coordination of services for veterans transitioning from Defence to Veterans' Affairs, service delivery across a large continent and stigma inhibiting service-seeking. Initiatives have been introduced in screening and delivery of evidence-based treatments. While challenges remain, Australia has come a long way towards an integrated and comprehensive approach to veteran mental healthcare.

Type
Thematic papers
Information
International Psychiatry , Volume 11 , Issue 4 , November 2014 , pp. 83 - 85
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BYCreative Common License - NCCreative Common License - ND
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits noncommercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is unaltered and is properly cited. The written permission of Cambridge University Press must be obtained for commercial re-use or in order to create a derivative work.
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists 2014

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